'Il Consigliori' (1973) - Albert De Martino.
Albert De Martino's exciting, 'Il Consigliori' (1973) is a Bootstrap tough Italo-Iberian Mafioso actioner featuring, Martin Balsam as powerful San Francisco mob boss, Don Antonio Macaluso, and the feared Don's consigliori (lawyer), Thomas Accardo, is charismatically brought to the screen by the exalted Euro-crime alumni, Tomas Milian! After serving out his jail sentence, Accardo makes a seemingly optimistic choice to finally go straight, and happy to meet with his erstwhile employer, the stubborn lawyer wants out of the mob! While, Don Macaluso doesn't approve, he nonetheless reluctantly allows Accardo to go his own way. Unbeknownst to Don Antonio, the ambitious thug, Vincent Garafolo (Francisco Rabal), increasingly frustrated with the uneasy status quo, fatefully orchestrates his own crime family, thereby engendering a bloody conflict between the rival criminal factions.
Remaining loyal to the beleaguered Don, Thomas Accardo (Tomas Milian) girds his nattily dressed loins, and 'Armed to The Teeth, he courageously prepares to defend his Boss once again. This compelling crime-thriller is a stone groove from the get-go, boisterously replete with all the volatile elements of a gonzo poliziotteschi, plus the additionally entertaining tropes of a gritty mafia expose; dramatic sit-down meetings in restaurants, numerous sanguinary shoot-outs, two exhilarating car chases, and one especially righteous, bullet-blasted finale! The respectful relationship between the ageing Don and his loyal Consigliori is well realised, plus the sprawlingly urban San Francisco, and rural Sicily provides a visually striking contrast. Music maestro, Riz Ortolani provides yet another gorgeous soundtrack, and Albert De Martino ('Blazing Magnum') once again proves himself to be a very capable action director. 'Il Consigliori' comes highly recommended to Mob movie maniacs and Euro-crime enthusiasts alike!
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